Oklahoma football: Five early stars of two-a-days

OU coach Bob Stoops kept saying the name Dom Whaley last season as a guy who really impressed him. Nobody listened to Stoops about a walk-on running back until Whaley lit up the field. Then even Sports Illustrated was writing about him. So, we figured we'd listen this year and present the five standouts, thus far, of preseason camp.

This Apopka, Fla., offensive lineman's performance started receiving praise from players before his first practice at OU. Now, Stoops has joined the praise train and gives Darlington a glowing review.

*Quotable: “Ty's a great player,” offensive lineman Bronson Irwin said. “He's got a real high football IQ. …. That's one of the real learning curves when you first get here because the complexity of the offense as well as the defense are totally different.”

*The depth chart: Gabe Ikard is the established starter for the Sooners after he inherited the position when Ben Habern quit football because of injuries. So Darlington is competing for the second spot between junior Austin Woods and redshirt freshman Nila Kasitati.

*Why he could break through: Pure and simple. He's a well-coached coach's kid. He knows the playbook. He's “football smart” and has created buzz around the veteran o-lineman.

*Why he won't: Gabe Ikard has this position on lockdown. Besides that, since his signing in February, Darlington lost weight due to some minor health issues, but those are said to have been straightened out.

JUSTIN BROWN, wide receiver

After just one practice, Stoops described big plans for the former Nittany Lion. He also said Brown will be a punt returner.

*Quotable: “Maturity, experience,” Stoops said. “He's been fighting his butt off in the Big Ten for three years; he's been productive. He's been awfully good, and he was incredibly impressive out there in one day. He can run, he's got strong hands and he's a natural punt returner, which is something else we were really excited about with him. With a big, strong guy like that punt return-wise, he can run through those tackles or people trying to grab his jersey and pull him down, that's not going to happen.

“Looking out there today, and you see him added to the equation. A guy that's a senior that has three years experience of playing and fighting people, crackback blocking on people, catching the ball. He's a natural at catching the ball, so he brings a ton. It's going to be exciting.”

*The depth chart: Brown will be fighting for receptions between newcomers Lacoltan Bester, Durron Neal and Sterling Shepard, who have also been mentioned as notable players during camp.

*Why he could break through: Brown is joining a receiving corps with one of the top quarterbacks in the nation and an offense that is more pass-friendly than what former coach Joe Paterno ran. He's also joined a system that will allow him to routinely make plays.